Both Canon 1100D and Panasonic FZ200 have 12.0 MP resolution sensors but Canon 1100D's sensor is APS-C (22.2 x 14.8 mm ) and Panasonic FZ200's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ).
Since Canon 1100D's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Panasonic FZ200.
Below you can see the 1100D and FZ200 sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 1100D and Panasonic FZ200 Cameras
As seen above, Canon 1100D has a 11.7x Larger sensor area than Panasonic FZ200. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.
DxOMark Sensor Scores
Both Canon 1100D and Panasonic FZ200 sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, 1100D has scored 62, 25 points higher than FZ200.
Model
Overall
Color Depth
Dynamic Range
Low-light ISO
Canon 1100D
62
21.9 bits
11.0 Evs
755 ISO
Panasonic FZ200
37
19.1 bits
10.8 Evs
114 ISO
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Canon 1100D
or the
Panasonic FZ200 ,
including hyperfocal distance.
One thing to watch when comparing these two: they have different sensor sizes
(APS-C versus 1/2.3-inch),
so compare them at the same framing rather than the same focal length.
Put the same focal length on the smaller sensor and it will show less depth of
field, not more, because it also crops tighter. The calculator shows the
full frame equivalent focal length for each body so you can match the framing.
